records of a family of engineers-第20章

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e　either　to　deliver　the　provisions　or　take　the　artificers　on　board。　　The　Lighthouse　yacht　was　also　soon　obliged　to　follow　her　example；　as　the　sea　was　breaking　heavily　over　her　bows。　　After　getting　two　reefs　in　the　mainsail；　and　the　third　or　storm…jib　set；　the　wind　being　S。W。；　she　bent　to　windward；　though　blowing　a　hard　gale；　and　got　into　St。　Andrews　Bay；　where　we　passed　the　night　under　the　lee　of　Fifeness。

＇Thursday；　24th　Sept。＇

At　two　o'clock　this　morning　we　were　in　St。　Andrews　Bay；　standing　off　and　on　shore；　with　strong　gales　of　wind　at　S。W。；　at　seven　we　were　off　the　entrance　of　the　Tay；　at　eight　stood　towards　the　rock；　and　at　ten　passed　to　leeward　of　it；　but　could　not　attempt　a　landing。　　The　beacon；　however；　appeared　to　remain　in　good　order；　and　by　six　p。m。　the　vessel　had　again　beaten　up　to　St。　Andrews　Bay；　and　got　into　somewhat　smoother　water　for　the　night。

＇Friday；　25th　Sept。＇

At　seven　o'clock　bore　away　for　the　Bell　Rock；　but　finding　a　heavy　sea　running　on　it　were　unable　to　land。　　The　writer；　however；　had　the　satisfaction　to　observe；　with　his　telescope；　that　everything　about　the　beacon　appeared　entire：　and　although　the　sea　had　a　most　frightful　appearance；　yet　it　was　the　opinion　of　every　one　that；　since　the　erection　of　the　beacon；　the　Bell　Rock　was　divested　of　many　of　its　terrors；　and　had　it　been　possible　to　have　got　the　boats　hoisted　out　and　manned；　it　might　have　even　been　found　practicable　to　land。　　At　six　it　blew　so　hard　that　it　was　found　necessary　to　strike　the　topmast　and　take　in　a　third　reef　of　the　mainsail；　and　under　this　low　canvas　we　soon　reached　St。　Andrews　Bay；　and　got　again　under　the　lee　of　the　land　for　the　night。　　The　artificers；　being　sea…　hardy；　were　quite　reconciled　to　their　quarters　on　board　of　the　Lighthouse　yacht；　but　it　is　believed　that　hardly　any　consideration　would　have　induced　them　again　to　take　up　their　abode　in　the　floating　light。

＇Saturday；　26th　Sept。＇

At　daylight　the　yacht　steered　towards　the　Bell　Rock；　and　at　eight　a。m。　made　fast　to　her　moorings；　at　ten；　all　hands；　to　the　amount　of　thirty；　landed；　when　the　writer　had　the　happiness　to　find　that　the　beacon　had　withstood　the　violence　of　the　gale　and　the　heavy　breach　of　sea；　everything　being　found　in　the　same　state　in　which　it　had　been　left　on　the　21st。　The　artificers　were　now　enabled　to　work　upon　the　rock　throughout　the　whole　day；　both　at　low　and　high　water；　but　it　required　the　strictest　attention　to　the　state　of　the　weather；　in　case　of　their　being　overtaken　with　a　gale；　which　might　prevent　the　possibility　of　getting　them　off　the　rock。

Two　somewhat　memorable　circumstances　in　the　annals　of　the　Bell　Rock　attended　the　operations　of　this　day：　one　was　the　removal　of　Mr。　James　Dove；　the　foreman　smith；　with　his　apparatus；　from　the　rock　to　the　upper　part　of　the　beacon；　where　the　forge　was　now　erected　on　a　temporary　platform；　laid　on　the　cross　beams　or　upper　framing。　　The　other　was　the　artificers　having　dined　for　the　first　time　upon　the　rock；　their　dinner　being　cooked　on　board　of　the　yacht；　and　sent　to　them　by　one　of　the　boats。　　But　what　afforded　the　greatest　happiness　and　relief　was　the　removal　of　the　large　bellows；　which　had　all　along　been　a　source　of　much　trouble　and　perplexity；　by　their　hampering　and　incommoding　the　boat　which　carried　the　smiths　and　their　apparatus。

＇Saturday；　3rd　Oct。＇

The　wind　being　west　to…day；　the　weather　was　very　favourable　for　operations　at　the　rock；　and　during　the　morning　and　evening　tides；　with　the　aid　of　torchlight；　the　masons　had　seven　hours'　work　upon　the　site　of　the　building。　　The　smiths　and　joiners；　who　landed　at　half…past　six　a。m。；　did　not　leave　the　rock　till　a　quarter…past　eleven　p。m。；　having　been　at　work；　with　little　intermission；　for　sixteen　hours　and　three…　quarters。　　When　the　water　left　the　rock；　they　were　employed　at　the　lower　parts　of　the　beacon；　and　as　the　tide　rose　or　fell；　they　shifted　the　place　of　their　operations。　　From　these　exertions；　the　fixing　and　securing　of　the　beacon　made　rapid　advancement；　as　the　men　were　now　landed　in　the　morning　and　remained　throughout　the　day。　　But；　as　a　sudden　change　of　weather　might　have　prevented　their　being　taken　off　at　the　proper　time　of　tide；　a　quantity　of　bread　and　water　was　always　kept　on　the　beacon。

During　this　period　of　working　at　the　beacon　all　the　day；　and　often　a　great　part　of　the　night；　the　writer　was　much　on　board　of　the　tender；　but；　while　the　masons　could　work　on　the　rock；　and　frequently　also　while　it　was　covered　by　the　tide；　he　remained　on　the　beacon；　especially　during　the　night；　as　he　made　a　point　of　being　on　the　rock　to　the　latest　hour；　and　was　generally　the　last　person　who　stepped　into　the　boat。　　He　had　laid　this　down　as　part　of　his　plan　of　procedure；　and　in　this　way　had　acquired；　in　the　course　of　the　first　season；　a　pretty　complete　knowledge　and　experience　of　what　could　actually　be　done　at　the　Bell　Rock；　under　all　circumstances　of　the　weather。　By　this　means　also　his　assistants；　and　the　artificers　and　mariners；　got　into　a　systematic　habit　of　proceeding　at　the　commencement　of　the　work；　which；　it　is　believed；　continued　throughout　the　whole　of　the　operations。

＇Sunday；　4th　Oct。＇

The　external　part　of　the　beacon　was　now　finished；　with　its　supports　and　bracing…chains；　and　whatever　else　was　considered　necessary　for　its　stability　in　so　far　as　the　season　would　permit；　and　although　much　was　still　wanting　to　complete　this　fabric；　yet　it　was　in　such　a　state　that　it　could　be　left　without　much　fear　of　the　consequences　of　a　storm。　　The　painting　of　the　upper　part　was　nearly　finished　this　afternoon；　and　the　SMEATON　had　brought　off　a　quantity　of　brushwood　and　other　articles；　for　the　purpose　of　heating　or　charring　the　lower　part　of　the　principal　beams；　before　being　laid　over　with　successive　coats　of　boiling　pitch；　to　the　height　of　from　eight　to　twelve　feet；　or　as　high　as　the　rise　of　spring…tides。　　A　small　flagstaff　having　also　been　erected　to…day；　a　flag　was　displayed　for　the　first　time　from　the　beacon；　by　which　its　perspective　effect　was　greatly　improved。　　On　this；　as　on　all　like　occasions　at　the　Bell　Rock；　three　hearty　cheers　were　given；　and　the　steward　served　out　a　dram　of　rum　to　all　hands；　while　the　Lighthouse　yacht；　SMEATON；　and　floating　light；　hoisted　their　colours　in　compliment　to　the　erection。

＇Monday；　5th　Oct。＇

In　the　afternoon；　and　just　as　the　tide's　work　was　over；　Mr。　John　Rennie；　engineer；　accompanied　by　his　son　Mr。　George；　on　their　way　to　the　harbour　works　of　Fraserburgh；　in　Aberdeenshire；　paid　a　visit　to　the　Bell　Rock；　in　a　boat　from　Arbroath。　　It　being　then　too　late　in　the　tide　for　landing；　they　remained　on　board　of　the　Lighthouse　yacht　all　night；　when　the　writer；　who　had　now　been　secluded　from　society　for　several　weeks；　enjoyed　much　of　Mr。　Rennie's　interesting　conversation；　both　on　general　topics；　and　professionally　upon　the　progress　of　the　Bell　Rock　works；　on　which　he　was　consulted　as　chief　engineer。

＇Tuesday；　6th　Oct。＇

The　artificers　landed　this　morning　at　nine；　after　which　one　of　the　boats　returned　to　the　ship　for　the　writer　and　Messrs。　Rennie；　who；　upon　landing；　were　saluted　with　a　display　of　the　colours　from　the　beacon　and　by　three　cheers　from　the　workmen。　　Everything　was　now　in　a　prepared　state　for　leaving　the　rock；　and　giving　up　the　works　afloat　for　this　season；　excepting　some　small　articles；　which　would　still　occupy　the　smiths　and　joiners　for　a　few　days　longer。　　They　accordingly　shifted　on　board　of　the　SMEATON；　while　the　yacht　left　the　rock　for　Arbroath；　with　Messrs。　Rennie；　the　writer；　and　the　remainder　of　the　artificers。　　But；　before　taking　leave；　the　steward　served　out　a　farewell　glass；　when　three　hearty　cheers　were　given；　and　an　earnest　wish　expressed　that　everything；　in　the　spring　of　1808；　might　be　found　in　the　same　state　of　good　order　as　it　was　now　about　to　be　left。



II　…　OPERATIONS　OF　1808


＇Monday；　29th　Feb。＇

The　writer　sailed　from　Arbroath　at　one　a。m。　in　the　Lighthouse　yacht。　　At　seven　the　floating　light　was　hailed；　and　all　on　board　found　to　be　well。　　The　crew　were　observed　to　have　a　very　healthy…like　appearance；　and　looked　better　than　at　the　close　of　the　works　upon　the　rock。　　They　seemed　only　to　regret　one　thing；　which　was　the　secession　of　their　cook；　Thomas　Elliot　…　not　on　account　of　his　professional　skill；　but　for　his　facetious　and　curious　manner。　　Elliot　had　something　peculiar　in　his　history；　and　was　reported　by　his　comrades　to　have　seen　better　days。　　He　was；　however；　happy　with　his　situation　on　board　of　the　floating　light；　and；　having　a　taste　for　music；　dancing；　and　acting　plays；　he　contributed　much　to　the　amusement　of　the　ship's　company　in　their　dreary　abode　during　the　winter　months。　　He　had　also　recommended　himself　to　their　notice　as　a　good　shipkeeper；　for　as　it　did　not　answer　Elliot　to　go　often　ashore；　he　had　always　given　up　his　turn　of　leave　to　his　neighbours。　　At　his　own　desire　he　was　at　length　paid　off；　when　he　had　a　considerable　balance　of　wages　to　receive；　which　he　said　would　be　sufficient　to　carry　him　to　the　West　Indies；　and　he　accordingly　took　leave　of　the　Lighthouse　service。

＇Tuesday；　1st　March＇

At　daybreak　the　Lighthouse　yacht；　attended　by　a　boat　from　the　floating　light；　again　stood　towards　the　Bell　Rock。　　The　weather　felt　extremely　cold　this　morning；　the　thermometer　being　at　34　degrees；　with　the　wind　at　east；　accompanied　by　occasional　showers　of　snow；　and　the　marine　barometer　indicated　29。80。　　At　half…past　seven　the　sea　ran　with　such　force　upon　the　rock　that　it　seemed　doubtful　if　a　landing　could　be　effected。　　At　half…past　eight；　when　it　was　fairly　above　water；　the　writer　took　his　place　in　the　floating　light's　boat　with　the　artificers；　while　the　yacht's　boat　followed；　according　to　the　general　rule　of　having　two　boats　afloat　in　landing　expeditions　of　this　kind；　that；　in　case　of　accident　to　one　boat；　the　other　might　assist。　　In　several　unsuccessful　attempts　the　boats　were　beat　back　by　the　breach　of　the　sea　upon　the　rock。　　On　the　eastern　side　it　separated　into　two　distinct　waves；　which　came　with　a　sweep　round　to　the　western　side；　where　they　met；　and　at　the　instance　of　their　confluence　the　water　rose　in　spray　to　a　considerable　height。　　Watching　what　the　sailors　term　a　SMOOTH；　we　caught　a　favourable　opportunity；　and　in　a　very　dexterous　manner　the　boats　were　rowed　between　the　two　seas；　and　made　a　favourable　landing　at　the　western　creek。

At　the　latter　end　of　last　season；　as　was　formerly　noticed；　the　beacon　was　painted　white；　and　from　the　bleaching　of　the　weather　and　the　sprays　of　the　sea　the　upper　parts　were　kept　clean；　but　within　the　range　of　the　tide　the　principal　beams　were　observed　to　be　thickly　coated　with　a　green　stuff；　the　CONFERVA　of　botanists。　　Notwithstanding　the　intrusion　of　these　works；　which　had　formerly　banished　the　numerous　seals　that　played　about　the　rock；　they　were　now　seen　in　great　numbers；　having　been　in　an　almost　undisturbed　state　for　six　months。　　It　had　now　also；　for　the　first　time；　got　some　inhabitants　of　the　feathered　tribe：　in　particular　the　scarth　or　cormorant；　and　the　large　herring…gull；　had　made　the　beacon　a　resting…place；　from　its　vicinity　to　their　fishing…grounds。　About　a　dozen　of　these　birds　had　rested　upon　the　cross…beams；　which；　in　some　places；　were　coated　with　their　dung；　and　their　flight；　as　the　boats　approached；　was　a　very　unlooked…for　indication　of　life　and